Loose-leaf binder



April 30, 195., 5;, Y 2,39,5fifi LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HTTOE/VEY LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed NOV. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Edward m.

HTTOENEY' Patented Apr. 30, 1946 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Edward Murphy, Linden, N. J .,-assignor to Wilson- Jones Company, Chicago, 111.,

Massachusetts a corporation of Application November 13, 1943, Serial No. 510,086

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a loose leaf binder and more particularly to a novel sheet retaining ring that requires a minimum amount of metal in its construction.

It is an object of this invention to provide a loose leaf binder that will be inexpensive to manufacture, will conserve steel, and will operate efficiently so that loose sheets may be readily removed from or impaled upon the sheet retaining rings and will be securely held in the binder by said rings.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a loose leaf binder embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the binder shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the complementary ring sections which together constitute a sheet retaining ring; and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the back plate.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a back member to which a pair of cover members 3 is hinged in any conventional manner. A back plate 4 is secured to the back member 2 by means of a plurality of rivets or eyelets 5. The back plate is provided with a plurality of apertures 6 through which the rivets or eyelets pass. The back plate 4 may be formed of paper board, fiber, metal or plastic.

The back plate 6 is provided with a plurality of rectangular apertures I longitudinally spaced along its central portion. The longitudinal edges of the back plate are notched, as indicated at 8, in transverse alignment with the apertures l. The notches 8 may be cut square, but it is preferred to leave a tongue 9 in each notch so as to form two separate recesses at the base of each notch.

The sheet retaining ring comprises a pair of complementary ring sections l0 and H. The ring section In is formed by bending a single length of wire, as indicated at 12, to provide parallel portions l3 and I4 spaced apart so as to fit in the recesses of the notch 8. The portions l3 and M are arcuately curved so as to form the desired circular shape for the ring. The foot portion of the ring section i0 is bent as indicated at l5 to permit the foot portion to project upwardly through the aperture 1. The ends l6 of the ring section 10 are bent at right angles so as to overlie the back plate 4.

The ring section I l is similar to the ring section it: except that the doubled end of the section is bent to form hook IT. The hook I1 is adapted to engage the loop 12 to hold the ring sections in closed position.

The apertures 1 are of such width that when the ring sections Ill and H are assembled with their feet portion 15 projecting through the apertures l, the end portions iii of each section abut the corresponding ortion of the complementary ring section, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4. When the ring sections with the back plate 4 the abutting relationship of the end portions It causes the ring sections it] and H to assume a normal position in which the hook I! and the loop l2 are spaced a distance sufiicient to permit impalement or removal of a plurality of loose sheets I8. A slight pressure on the ring sections l0 and H is sufiicient to engage the hook H with the loop l2 so as to hold the sheet retaining rings in closed position. The resiliency of the wire from which the ring sections are made causes the ring sections to move outwardly to their normal position as soon as the loop I2 is disengaged from the hook l1.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the construction may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described, except as limited by the appended claim.

I claim:

In a loose leaf binder, a back plate provided with an aperture, and a sheet retaining ring, said sheet retaining ring comprising a pair of complementary ring sections each having a portion underlying said back plate and a pair of foot portions projecting through said aperture, said foot portions of each ring section being bent against the top surface of said back plate in opposite directions and abutting the foot portions of the other ring section to maintain said ring sections in position in said binder.

WARD MURPHY.

l0 and H are assembled 

